Monday, March 4, 2013

Bible teacher Steve Gregg discusses who the harlot is that rides the beast, whether Babylon symbolizes Rome or Jerusalem, and whether the Beast (666) was Caesar Nero or a future Antichrist or some system.

Revelation 17

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast

17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me,[a] “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with
whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants
of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The
woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and
precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of
abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.[b]5 And on her forehead a name was written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,THE MOTHER OF HARLOTSAND OF THE ABOMINATIONSOF THE EARTH.

6 I
saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of
the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great
amazement.

The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast

7 But
the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery
of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven
heads and the ten horns. 8 The
beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the
bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth
will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the
foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not,
and yet is.[c]

9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.

12 “The
ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as
yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you saw on[d] the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 For
God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one
mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are
fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Revelation 18

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Fall of Babylon the Great

18 After
these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great
authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2 And he cried mightily[a]
with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and
has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit,
and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For
all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the
merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her
luxury.”

4 And
I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people,
lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached[b] to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to you,[c] and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In
the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the
same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I
sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges[d] her.

The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall

9 “The
kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with
her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her
burning, 10 standing
at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great
city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise
of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple,
silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of
ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and
marble; 13 and
cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine
flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and
souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you,[e] and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and
saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen,
purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and
pearls! 17 For
in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all
who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a
distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’

19 “They
threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and
saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the
sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’

20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles[f] and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

Finality of Babylon’s Fall

21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The
sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be
heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you
anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.
23 The
light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of
bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your
merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the
nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”